Welcome to Gaia! ::

The smell of must wafted up the stairs, making Georgia step back in displeasure. She waited for a moment, looking down into the dark basement as her hand blindly reached for the light switch. Once finding it, she flicked it on and stepped into the stairwell, closing the door behind her. The wooden stairs beneath her feet creaked, and she winced at the sudden sound. After another moment's pause, she went down, stopping at the bottom and feeling for the second light switch that would illuminate the basement's interior. She turned it on and searched for her brother.

He was in the corner, his knees drawn up to his chest, his mouth hanging open. Georgia could tell that he was hungry. Of course, he was always hungry, so it wasn't much of a problem.

"Hey, Liam," she said, the corners of her lips twisting up into a small smile.

Her brother's head lifted slightly, turning to the sound of her voice, but he didn't quite look at her. He was still for a moment and then suddenly threw himself forward, thick, heavy chains stopping a foot away from Georgia. His eyes rolled backwards for a moment and his mouth opened wider, the most pathetic noise Georgia had ever heard escaped past his lips. She had come to associate that sound with helplessness and hunger. Liam only made that noise after failing to reach his sister.

He sat back down. Georgia moved closer, keeping a close eye on her brother just in case he tried attacking her again. She didn't think he would--after all, every other time she'd visited him, he'd only ever tried to eat her once, and she figured this time wouldn't be any different.

She unhooked the chains from the wall and gently tugged on them until Liam rose to his feet. He looked at her, and for a moment, Georgia saw life in his eyes, saw contempt and hate, but it was gone a moment later and she blamed it on the poor lighting. She led her brother upstairs and into the dining room, where she had him sit down in a chair at the end of the table before strapping in his arms, legs, and head.

She smiled at him. "Do you want food, Liam?"

His eyes flicked towards her, though Georgia wasn't sure whether it was the mention of food or his name that had caught his attention. It didn't really matter, though, she guessed. She went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Rows of neatly packaged meat lined the shelves and she took one out, ripping the cellophane with her finger. She returned to the table and placed the meat in front of her brother.

Liam strained against his bonds, trying to reach the food that was torturously close to him. Georgia laughed at his efforts and patted his head.

"It's okay, bro," she said. "I'll feed you. You just sit tight and look pretty."

She picked up the fork and taking a piece of the meat, held it out towards Liam. He continued to jerk against the straps, but as the food came closer to him, he stilled, eyes focusing on it. When it reached his mouth, he obediently parted his lips, letting the piece of meat drop onto his tongue. Georgia continued to smile at him as she got a second piece and fed him in the same manner.

When the package of meat was all gone, Georgia pushed the trash away and reached to undo the straps holding her brother to the chair. She stopped when he started struggling again.

"Now, Liam, be a good boy, or I’ll leave you strapped up all night.”

He continued pulling against his restraints, making no indication that he had heard, or understood, what his sister had said. Georgia slammed her hand onto the table, and Liam jerked like he’d been hit. After that, he stopped moving completely, his dark eyes directed towards her hand lying flat against the tabletop.

Georgia smiled gently and stroked her brother’s face. “I’m sorry for scaring you,” she said. “But you weren’t listening to me.”

She sighed and started to unbuckle the straps, letting them drop loosely towards the floor. Liam was still, his eyes glazed in the contented way they got after he’d eaten. She took hold of his arm and guided him to his feet and then towards the basement door. As they started down the steps, there was a knock at the door.

Georgia froze.

Liam didn’t.

He whirled around to face the door, his nostrils flaring -- which dashed away any hope Georgia might have had of it just being a wayward zombie bumping rhythmically against the door. Liam tried to climb up the few steps they’d already descended, but before he had a chance to even get his foot on the first one, Georgia viciously shoved him down the stairs. She ignored his cries of pain and quickly dashed up the stairs, closing the door behind her with a resounding thump. She slid the deadbolt, locking the door.

She stood there for a moment as another knock sounded. Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself forward and answered the front door.